COSTRUISCI IL GIGANTE
Build-A-Figure (BAF) is a major toy industry distribution mechanism and marketing model created in 2005 by Toy Biz brand manager Jesse Falcon for the Marvel Legends line. By packaging individual component pieces—such as limbs, heads, torsos, or accessories—with standard action figures across a wave, collectors assemble a larger standalone figure upon acquiring the full assortment. The format was subsequently adopted across the industry by Hasbro, Mattel (as 'Collect & Connect'), McFarlane Toys (as 'Collect-to-Build'), and Disney Parks.
Cronologia
Overview
The Build-A-Figure (BAF) concept—also known across the toy industry as 'Collect & Connect' (Mattel) or 'Collect-to-Build' (McFarlane Toys)—is an innovative distribution model designed to offer oversized action figures at mass retail.
Under this model, each standard action figure in an assortment includes a piece of a larger character, such as a head, torso, arm, leg, or accessory.
By purchasing the entire wave, collectors can assemble a complete, oversized figure that would otherwise be too large to fit into standard single-card bubble packaging or too expensive to produce as an individual mass-market release. First introduced by Toy Biz for its 6-inch Marvel Legends line, the format was expanded when Hasbro acquired the Marvel toy license in 2007. Over the decades, BAF assortments have ranged from 3.75-inch lines like Hasbro's Star Wars Build-A-Droid to 6-inch Marvel Legends and 7-inch McFarlane DC Multiverse figures. The strategic positioning incentivizes consumers to collect complete character waves, granting access to exclusive, highly detailed deluxe figures.
History
The Build-A-Figure format traces back to early precursors like Kenner's 1979 Star Wars Droid Factory playset, but officially debuted in 2005 with Toy Biz's Marvel Legends Series 9. Created by brand manager Jesse Falcon, the line debuted with a 16-inch Galactus BAF, followed by iconic releases like Sentinel (Series 10) and Apocalypse (Series 12).
When Hasbro took over the Marvel license in 2007, they immediately integrated BAFs, introducing figures like Annihilus, Blob, and the massive Fin Fang Foom in 2008. Competing toy lines quickly adopted the mechanic, most notably Mattel's DC Universe Classics 'Collect & Connect' line in 2008 and Hasbro's 3.75-inch Star Wars 'Build-A-Droid' series.
In 2014, Hasbro rebranded Marvel Legends as the 'Infinite Series', closely tying BAF releases to Marvel Cinematic Universe feature films such as Guardians of the Galaxy (Groot) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (Hulkbuster). McFarlane Toys joined the trend in 2020 with its DC Multiverse 'Collect to Build' 7-inch figures. By 2026, Hasbro consolidated its retail BAF releases to 1–2 targeted mid-sized figures per year, moving ultra-massive cosmic characters to HasLab crowdfunding campaigns.
I PEZZI DI BUILD-A-FIGURE
Collecting
Building a complete Build-A-Figure offers a distinct collecting experience, requiring collectors to purchase an entire assortment of 6-inch or 7-inch figures to assemble a single oversized centerpiece figure. This mechanical dynamic creates strong demand on the secondary market for both individual BAF pieces—such as heads, limbs, or torsos—and fully completed figures. Early Toy Biz releases like Galactus and Sentinel established high secondary-market values, proving that collectors view completed BAFs as premium grails.
Across lines like Hasbro's Marvel Legends, Mattel's DC Universe Classics, and McFarlane's DC Multiverse, live-action cinematic figures (such as MCU's Hulkbuster and Thanos) and fan-favorite comic characters maintain high resale values. As manufacturers shifted ultra-massive characters (like Galactus and Sentinel) to HasLab crowdfunding campaigns in recent years, traditional retail BAF waves have refocused on mid-sized characters like Skurge the Executioner and Box, preserving the thrill of wave completion while maintaining robust aftermarket liquidity.
Other major toy companies adopted the BAF model under distinct branding, including Mattel's 'Collect & Connect' and McFarlane Toys' 'Collect-to-Build'.
